A conversation with Dick Cheney

The Foundation for Constitutional Government has just released Bill Kristol’s “Conversation” with former Vice President Dick Cheney. The “Conversation” is one in a series of long-form interviews conducted by Bill with key intellectuals and players.

Vice President Cheney has not shied away from commenting on the ongoing catastrophe of the Obama administration. It is always a pleasure to hear from him, but this interview goes well beyond events of current interest. The nearly two-hour interview reviews Cheney’s long and distinguished career in Washington. His 2011 memoir (written with Liz Cheney) covers this ground and more.

In the video (transcript here), Cheney discusses 1) his service as Secretary of Defense in the Bush (41) administration (the first 10 minutes), 2) the Gulf War (approximately the next 25 minutes), 3) the years from Nixon to Ford (the next 18 minutes), 4) President Ford (the next 17 minutes), 5) the Reagan years (the next 13 minutes), 6) his dramatic personal account of 9/11 (the next 17 minutes), and 7) his current threat assessment (the final 12 minutes). The interview is posted in its entirety and also broken down into chapters for easy viewing here.

Quotable quote: “So we’re in a very dangerous period and I think it’s more threatening than the period before 9/11. I think 9/11 will turn out to be not nearly as bad as the next mass casualty attack against the United States–which, if and when it comes, will be with something far deadlier than [with] airline tickets and box cutters.”